This invention relates generally to a new and improved rubber composition that includes a substantial amount of devulcanized, recycled tire rubber for use in making clothing and fashion accessories and includes a method for using the novel rubber composition to make clothing and fashion accessories.
Billions of pounds of rubber are used every year in the United States. The largest single end use for rubber is automobile tires. After a rubber tire has reached the end of its useful life, the tire is most often discarded to a dump or landfill. In fact, there are landfill sites that are full of millions of tires from previous consumption. These tire piles create several hazards. They are breeding grounds for rats, bugs, such as mosquitoes which carry encephalitis, and other vermin. In some areas, old tires are burned for energy. However, this pollutes the environment and there is not a cost effective method for cleaning. Also, tire piles have been known to catch on fire and often can burn and smolder for weeks thereby polluting the environment and creating a health hazard to surrounding communities.
While rubber clothing-and fashion accessories have been around for several years, they have not been made from devulcanized, recycled rubber, and in particular, devulcanized, recycled tire rubber, or by using the method of this invention.
It is a principal objective of the present invention to provide a rubber composition that is made from substantially devulcanized, recycled rubber and can be used to make clothing and fashion accessories.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a substantially devulcanized, recycled rubber composition that is durable and retains its shape.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a recycled rubber composition that is made from substantially devulcanized, recycled tire rubber.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for using the rubber composition to produce clothing and fashion accessories.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a use for old tire rubber that does not pollute the environment and helps to eliminate the hazards of used tire piles.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be further understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention.